Hyattsville/College Park, MD

Hyattsville/College Park, MD

Hyattsville, MD, is a charming and vibrant community located just a few miles northeast of Washington, DC, offering the perfect balance of suburban comfort and urban convenience. With its rich history, diverse culture, and welcoming atmosphere, Hyattsville is an ideal place to live for those who want proximity to the nation’s capital while enjoying a close-knit, more relaxed environment.

One of the standout features of Hyattsville is its exceptional location. It’s only a short drive or Metro ride from downtown Washington, DC, making it perfect for professionals who want easy access to the city but prefer to escape the hustle and bustle when they return home. The area is well-served by public transportation, with the Hyattsville Crossing Metro Station on the Green Line and several major bus routes, providing easy access to the entire DC metropolitan area.

Hyattsville is also known for its rich cultural diversity and welcoming community. The city embraces a range of cultures, which is reflected in its vibrant mix of restaurants, local businesses, and community events. Whether you’re savoring flavors from around the world at a local eatery, visiting art galleries, or attending festivals that celebrate the neighborhood’s heritage, there’s always something happening in Hyattsville.

The town has seen significant revitalization in recent years, especially along its main streets, like University Boulevard and Route 1. New businesses, cafes, and small boutiques have popped up, creating a dynamic atmosphere while retaining the area’s historical charm. Residents enjoy a variety of locally-owned shops, eateries, and entertainment options, making it a perfect place for those who love a community-oriented, walkable lifestyle.

Hyattsville also offers green spaces and recreational opportunities, making it a great place for families and outdoor enthusiasts. The nearby Paint Branch Park and Driscoll Park provide ample space for walking, picnicking, and recreational sports. The well-maintained parks and tree-lined streets give the area a suburban feel, while the urban energy of DC is always within reach.

For families, the schools in and around Hyattsville are highly rated, and there are plenty of activities for children and teenagers to stay engaged in. With a wide range of housing options, from charming single-family homes to modern apartments, Hyattsville attracts a mix of young professionals, families, and retirees, all of whom contribute to the area’s welcoming and vibrant atmosphere.

In short, Hyattsville, MD, is a wonderful place to live because it offers the best of both worlds: the convenience of being so close to DC, combined with a relaxed, diverse, and tight-knit community. It’s a neighborhood where you can enjoy city amenities without sacrificing the peace and tranquility of suburban living. Whether you’re commuting to DC, exploring local parks, or spending time at one of the town’s many festivals, Hyattsville is a place that feels like home.

Is College Park the Greatest? In 2011, the University of Maryland and the city of College Park announced a joint vision to make the area one of the nation’s 20 greatest college towns by 2020. It was an ambitious goal for a landscape then characterized by the fact that it had been passed over by the walkable, urban development hitting other DC suburbs.

To be sure, College Park still has a way to go. But it’s made significant progress, with more than a half billion dollars currently invested in development. College Park is now a place where you can take an Orange­theory class, order a Kalita pour-over at Vigilante, hunker down at WeWork, and live in a new luxury apartment building with a pool and bocce courts. Nearly 400 more high-end apartments are planned at Bozzuto’s Southern Gateway project, and developer Gilbane is building a five-story project with 440 apartments and 12,000 square feet of retail. Developer Scott Plank, meanwhile, just opened the Hall CP, a 20,000-square-foot food-and-arts venue, next to WeWork and the Hotel at the University of Maryland.

Growing Pains – Not all the changes in College Park have been unanimously welcomed. University of Maryland students and alums have mourned the closings of beloved old-school hangouts—for instance, the pizza joint Ratsie’s, which was replaced by Nando’s. Many fear the next big loss will be Marathon Deli, a 48-year-old stalwart in a strip mall that a developer wants to turn into apartments and retail. Students such as Stephen Kenny have voiced their opposition at city-council meetings: “A college town is a place that has tradition . . . that has a sense of community around certain institutions—and I feel like Marathon Deli is probably one of the most important ones we have,” Kenny said, according to the university’s paper, the Diamondback. Developer Greystar Real Estate Partners says it’s “working with” the deli to keep it in business. The company’s final plan for the site still needs official approval—a step likely to happen this year.

The Whole Foods Effect – The 2017 opening of massive mixed-use development the Station at Riverdale Park brought Prince George’s County’s first Whole Foods—and has since sparked a wave of openings that have enlivened the quiet town between Hyattsville and College Park. Trendy chains such as District Taco and MOD Pizza, as well as a 12,000-square-foot outpost of Silver Spring’s Denizens Brewing Co., have land-ed at the Whole Foods complex. A half mile away, the activity is spilling into Riverdale Park’s historic downtown. Recent openings there include the Vietnamese restaurant Banana Blossom Bistro and Riviera Tapas Bar. Vegan and barbecue restaurants are also coming soon.

Getting Crafty – Hyattsville was born a dry town—the city’s 1886 charter included a booze ban—but craft alcohol is helping fuel its rebirth. The most recent addition to the scene is Sangfroid Distilling, Prince George’s County’s first distillery since the end of Prohibition. It produces fruit brandies, rye whiskey, and barrel-aged gin. The brothers-in-law who run it are redesigning the tasting room to offer cocktails in early 2020.

Head a couple of blocks south on Baltimore Avenue and you’ll run into Street-car 82 Brewing Co. Opened in 2018 by three Gallaudet University graduates in a former auto garage, the spot is the first deaf-owned-and-operated brewery on the East Coast. A few more doors down is Maryland Meadworks—the first and only meadery in the Washington area and a popular live-music venue. All of the newcomers are within a quick walk of Franklins, which has been making its own beer since 2002.

Trails – The Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail—a three-mile path through Hyattsville, Riverdale Park, and College Park that follows the course of an old streetcar line—opened in 2002. But it wasn’t until 2017 that a crucial missing link was added. Now the trail, which is paved and protected from car traffic, runs past many of the new shops and restaurants lining the corridor. It’s become a favorite means of exploring the area, whether on foot or bike.

Also helpful: In 2018, Capital Bikeshare arrived in Hyattsville and it has since extended into nearby Riverdale Park and other places along the corridor. College Park maintains a separate bike-share system called VeoRide, which debuted last year. And another half-mile segment of the Trolley Trail is planned in the next few years, though a construction date hasn’t been set.

METRO – The Purple Line is slated to begin service in late 2022, and though it’s been delayed several times, the buzz around its potentially transformative effect on Route 1 has spurred major real-estate moves, such as the construction of new tech-incubator spaces, high-end hotels, and thousands of new residential units. The light-rail train will stop in Riverdale Park and the Discovery District—College Park and the University of Maryland’s growing research park—as well as at the College Park Metro station, before running through the university’s campus on its way to Bethesda.

Courtesy of Washingtonian Magazine